Printing-press



(No Model.)

- 4 Sheeti-Sheat 1. D. I, ECKERSON.

PRINTING PRESS. v I

Patented Mar. 9., 1897. 7271!.

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D. ECKERSON.

PRINTING PRES.

No. 578,553. Patented Mar. 9, 18g].

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1). I. EOKERSON.

PRINTING PRESS.

No. 578,553. Patented Mar. 9, 1897.

Tom a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PRINTING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,553, dated March 9, 1897.

Application filed February 4, 1893. Serial No. 461,043. (No model.)

To all whom it 777/61 concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID I. ECKERSON, a. citizen of the United States, residing at W'orcester, in the county of Otsego and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in web-perfecting printing-presses of that class in which the type or plates from which the impressions are taken are supported upon flat beds and upon which the web is impressed by reciprocating cylinders. Heretofore presses of this character have been made in which the type-beds are supported in parallel planes, either horizontal or vertical, or in the same horizontal plane, and over which the impression-cylinders are moved. In cases where the type beds are supported in parallel planes, in order to adapt them to the use of a common carriage or to economize room, the beds are placed quite close together. This is objectionable, inasmuch as access to the forms for purposes of corrections or rearrangement of the type without removing the forms is quite dilficult; this is especially so where the beds are in horizontal planes and also when they are in vertical planes and the machine run at a high rate of speed the type are liable to be dislocated. In both of these cases much trouble is experienced in handling the forms to place them in position and in securingthem in place where the upright beds are used. These objections are overcome to some extent where the type-beds are in the same horizontal plane, but much additional room is required for a machine so constructed. In the instances just mentioned the impressioncyli'nders are mounted in a common carriage, .which is reciprocated back and forth, making both impressions in the same direction and at the same time, or they are mounted in separately-constructed carriages moving on their beds in opposite directions. In these constructions much power is needed to move the carriages, which with their adjuncts are quite heavy. This is especially so in the upstroke where the type-beds are upright. Also in the double carriages very nice adjustments are required to obtain the proper register of the several wea-ringsurfaces.

Printing-presses having inclined type-beds and independently constructed carriages have been made. These are not web-perfecting presses, however, and are only adapted to print-on single sheets. The type-beds of these machines are but slightlyinclined from the horizontal, which cause them to occupy almost as much room as if they were in the same horizontal plane. The carriages depend upon gravity for their downward strokes, which is objectionable, as a type slightly raised would be suflicient to stop their movement. Furthermore, the connections between the two carriages is such that'a positive mutual operation cannot be obtained. This would prevent the adaptation of the machine to web-printing by supplying a feed mechanism to the same, as no dependence could be placed on the carriages being in their proper relative positions, and consequently the printed matter on the opposite sides of the web would not always register.

In addition to this the connections between the two carriages is such that if a feed mechanism should be supplied the carriages would be liable to displacement by the web being drawn through them. It is obvious that it would be necessary to run such a machine at a very low rate of speed.

In the present invention it is proposed to overcome these difficulties.

The invention consists, primarily, of two inclined type-bedssupported by a suitableframe, the independently 7 constructed carriages carrying the impression-cylinders and the mechanism positively connecting the carriages. In a machine constructed with these features the space which it occupies is greatly economized, the type is easily accessible'and is not liable to displacement, and the forms are easily put in place and there held Without being liable to displacement. The carriages, while being of independent construction, mu-

tually operate to perfect the printing and are of much simpler and cheaper construction than the double carriage, and as they recipstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described hereinafter, pointed out in the appended claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a printing-press embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, the inking-tables being removed to better show the relative arrangement of the inking-rolls. Fig. 3 is a detailview showing a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, illustrating the ink-carrying rolls and the mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail View showing a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1, illustrating an impression-cylinder and its carriage. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1, showing the feed-rolls and the mechanism for intermittently rotating the same.

These improvements relate to the impression mechanism, the feeding device, the registering device, and the inking mechanism,

" and they will be considered in this order.

The impression mechanism.The frame of the machine may be of any construction suitable in the premises, the inclined sides to which the type-beds are fastened and upon which the impression-carriages travel being the essential feature. As both sides of the machine are substantially the same, only one of them will be described. Between the in clined standards A A and suitable transverse supports the type-bed A is secured, and upon the latter are placed the forms A A The forms are placed one after another along the type-bed, the number being limited by the size of the press and the number of pages which it is desired to print. In the present instance four forms are placed upon each of the beds to print an eight-page paper. From the faces of the outer sides of the inclined standards A A project the tracks or flanges a ct, upon which the impression-carriage is supported and moves. The impression-carriage consists of the side frames B B, formed of plates shaped to the desired configuration and held in their relative positions by connecting-rods suitably placed, as the rods 1) Z). (Shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) The lower portion of each side frame is recessed to register with the track or flange a on its respective side.

To prevent any transverse movement of the carriage, the side frames and tracks have ver tical projections a a, and corresponding recesses with which they register. In the lower part of the recesses wear-plates a a are seated and are provided with adj Listing-screws a a whereby any wear can be taken up and a perfect register of the recesses and tracks obtained. It is to be observed that the bases of the side frames are quite long, so that an even and regular movement of the carriage is secured. In slots formed in the upper part of the side frames the blocks a a are mounted, two blocks in each slot, and are adjustably secured therein by means of the set-screws a a In these blocks is journaled the shaft of the impression roll or cylinder C, the blocks serving to allow the cylinder to be brought closer to or farther from the type, accordingly as it is desired to vary the strength of the impression. The side frames have laterally-projecting arms 0 0, between which the guiderollers c c are journaled, one on each side of the impression-cylinder. Additional guiderolls 0 c are provided, being journaled between the base portions of the side frames. On each side of the impression-cylinder are mounted two inking-rolls c 0 Their shafts are journaled in the slotted projections c c of the side frames. These slots are of such length as to give the rolls considerable play. They are elastically held in place by the hooks c 0 the shanks of which pass through the perforated lugs c 0 A coiled spring 0 surrounds each shank and is compressed betweenthe lug c projecting from the side frame, and the collar 0 on the shank, and it serves to hold the roll against the inking-table, hereinafter to be described, and the type. Racks B B are secured to the frame along both sides of the type-bed A, with which the spur-gears B B secured to the ends of the cylinder, engage. 7, These racks and gears serve to give the impression-cylinder a positive rotation.

In the upper part of the frame and longitudinally of the same rocking shafts S S are journaled in suitable bearings and have keyed on their ends the working beams S S, which may be simple straight beams or of any other suitable construction. In the present instance they are shown as being formed of a framework of segments which gives greater accessibility to certain parts of the machinery than would be secured in structures in which the limits are more directly connected. These frames are connected by cross-rods suitably placed, but as their use is a mere matter of judgment they are not shown. Each end of the Working beams is connected with the side frame of the carriage on its respective side by the rods S These rods are connected to the different parts by the wrist-pins s s and are offset, where needed to give proper clearance, by lugs and washers. The connections with the side frames are made at points directly opposite to the tracks, so that the power applied to move the carriage will be applied at a point least liable to 'cause any binding. Longitudinally through the machine the main driving-shaft W passes, journaled in suitable bearings Upon the ends of this shaft the fly-wheels XV WV are keyed and are connected with their respective working beams by'the rods W W Upon the side of one of these wheels near its periphery the gear-wheel W is bolted and meshes with the gear mounted on the shaft Widriven by the pulley W The web of the paper to be printed is in a roll upon a shaft mounted upon a shaft journaled in suitable support-s, from which it is drawn by suitable rolls. As'this part of the feed mechanism forms no part of this invention and is shown in Letters Patent numbered 457,188, granted to me August 4, 1891, it need not be further described. The web passes from the roll to the first carriage under the impressioncylinder of the same, being guided by the rolls a c and 0 0 The first set of guide-rolls c c serve to loop the web around the cylinder, and together with fixed rolls to hold the free portion of the web out of contact with the type and other portions of the machine. The second set a c serve to adjust the loop, so that but little more of the paper than is between the cylinder and the type is in contact with the former. If these rolls were not used, the paper would be forced too sharply upon the type by the cylinder, while with them an easy and smooth contact is secured. Also by this means the friction which would be caused by the web being drawn around the relatively stationary cylinder, if no such rolls were used, is avoided. The web passes from the second of the guide-rolls c 0 over the fixed guide-roll V d, thence between the rolls E E of the registering device, which will be described later on, and over the second and third fixed guiderolls d and (1 After leaving this last roll the web passes through the second impressioncarriage in exactly the same way as through the first. It passes from the second carriage over the fourth and fifth fixed guide-rolls d and d to the intermittently-operated feedrolls F F, hereinafter to be described.

The operation of the impression mechanism is as follows: Assuming the carriage to be in the positions shown in Fig. 1that is, the one on the right at the limit of its upstroke and the other at the limit of its downstrokethe fly-wheels are put in motion by the belt-pulley and the intermediate gear and through the connecting-rods operate the working beams, which will, through their connections with the impression-carriages, reciprocate the latterin opposite directions. The carriages in passin g over the type will, through their impression-cylinders, press the paper upon the forms, the first one printing one side of the web and the second perfecting it. It is to be observed that during this movement-that is, so long as the paper is being forced upon the face of the typethe web remains stationary. During the time. which elapses after the impression-cylinders have left the forms and just before contacting with them again on thefollowing stroke the feed mechanism draws enough paper through the machine .for another impression. The movement of the carriages in opposite directions and their line of movement being almost vertical, being'almost suspended, the force necessary to operate them is greatly economized, as the carriage-s counterbalance each other. The inclination of the beds and tracks is just sufficient to cause the carriages to bear upon the same to a slight extent and also that the type-forms can be properly supported without the use of any special means, which would be required if they were perpendicular, and also that any type that might be loosely placed inthe forms would not be displaced. An.- other important object is also secured by this arrangement. The forms can be easily put in place, and if it should be desired to make any correction of the type after the forms are in position without removing the latter or unthreading the paper by moving the carriage to the upward limit and by raising the web the correction can be made. To allow this raising of the web, the guide-roll d is removably attached to the frame.

The feeding denice.'lhe feed mechanism, intermittently operated to draw the proper length of paper through the machine after each stroke of the carriages, is somewhat similar to that shown in Letters Patent numbered 387,500, granted to me August 7, 1888. Some slight changes are necessary in the present instance, owing to the difference in the construction of the two machines. These changes will now be described. Briefly, the feed mechanism consists of a pair of rolls F F, journaled in bearings suitably situated in the frame, so that the rolls can grasp the web after it has left the last impression-carriage. These rolls have an intermitting motion given them by the pawl-clutchf, journaled on the shaft of the lower roll and adapted to engage with the gear f mounted on the said shaft, and the rack f, meshing with the gear f formed on the hub of the said clutch, the rack being reciprocated by the rotatable disk f with which it is ad justably connected by the rod f. This disk is driven by the shafts f f and f the first-1n entioned shaft receiving its motion from the main driving-shaft through the miter-gears e e, and which gives motion to the second through the gears e 6 and the last receiving its motion from the second through the miter-gears 6 6 It is to be observed that one complete rotation of the fiy-wheels makes two strokes for each carriage. It is necessary, therefore, to rotate the disk f twice to one rotation of the flywheels. This is accomplished by making the miter-gears e e in the proportion of two to one. The length of the movement of the rack f depends upon the quantity of paper necessary for each impression. If the press is run to its fullest capacity, as in the present instance it is shown as printing four pages on each side of the web, the lower end of the connecting-rod is connected with the disk to give the longest throw possible.

The registering mechcmism.After the impression by the first carriage has been made the web passes to the second carriage, where it is perfected. It is necessary to have the second impression register exactly with the first. This is accomplished by-the registering mechanism placed intermediately of the two carriages and through which the web passes. It consists of a pair of rolls E E, journaled between arms e (2 carried by a common shaft 6 journaled in suitable bearin gs and provided for means of rotation. The web passes under one of these rolls and over the other. The web is .run through the machine and impressions made on both sides of the same. If by examination it is found that the impressions do not register, the shaft 6 is turned and through the rollers E E the length of the web between the two carriages is either increased or diminished, thereby securing the register.

The inking mechctmsm.Upon each side of the type-bed an inclined inking-table I is secured. The angle of inclination of these tables relatively to the main plane of the type-bed is slight, so that when the speed of the machine is great the inking-rolls carried by the carriage will ride easily and smoothly, which they would not do if the rise to the type-bed should be sudden and abrupt. The purpose of the inclined inking-tables is to allow the impression-cylin der after it has passed the type-bed to clear the ink, so as not to soil the paper. An opening is left between each inking-table and the type-bed, through which the distributing-roll 1 projects slightly above the table. To this roll ink is conducted from the roll 1 rotatably mounted in the ink-fountain I by the transfer-roll I A shifting-roll I is also provided for breaking the ink on the distributingroll. The construction, relative arrangement, and mode of operation of these several rolls are the same as shown in Letters Patent No. 483,37 7, granted to me September 27, 1892, and of them, therefore, no additional description is needed. The mechanism whereby they are operated, however, is dif ferent, owing to the difference in construction of the two machines. Additional explanation as to this mechanism is therefore needed. The upper distributing-roll I is continuously rotated by the shaft h, with which it is connected by the miter-gears h h, and which is driven by a continuation of the shaft f, with which it is connected by the mitergears 71 77. The lower inking-roll I is driven by the shaft 7Z3, with which it is connected by the miter-gears k 72 the said shaft being connected with the shaft h by the miter-gears it. On the opposite side of the machine the mechanism is somewhat different. The lower of the distributing-rolls I I is driven by the shaft f, with which it is connected by the miter-gears h h. The shaft f also drives the shaft h on this side, being connected with the same by the miter-gears 71 71 Each of the rolls I I in the ink-fountains is intermittently rotated by the lever L,which is journaled on the shaft of the roll and is provided with apawl Z, adapted to engage with the ratchet-wheel Z, secured to the end of the roll. This lever is adjustably connected with the reciprocating rod Z by the link Z The rod Z is reciprocated by means of the cam Z mounted on the shaft Z and rotating between the lugs Z Z. The shaft Z is rotated by the shaft F, with which it. is connected by the miter-gears Z the shaft Z being connected by the miter-gears Z 1 with the shaft f. The transfer-rolls I I are journaled in the free ends of the levers m m, pivoted in suitable places 011 the frame. The levers connect with the reciprocating rods T T, and through the movement of the latter the transfer-rollers are moved back and forth between the inkfountain rolls and the distributing-rolls. The rods T T are reciprocated by the cams t 25, mounted on the shaft Z and engaging with the lugs t t. It is to be observed that the movements of the rod Z and the rods T T are opposite, so that when the transfer-rolls are contacting with the ink-fountain rolls the latter are at rest. It is also to be observed that the transfer-rolls engage with the distributingrolls just before the beginning of a stroke, so that the inking-rolls of the carriage will receive a sufficient supply of ink.

\Vhile I consider the machine as described above and illustrated in the drawings as the best embodiment of my invention, still I am aware that the same may be greatly modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not therefore desire to be limited to the specified constructions and arrangements as set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of the relatively-inclined typebeds, the traveling impression-cylinders cooperating therewith, the operating means to which each cylind eris connected and by which each cylinder is positively reciprocated in opposite directions, and means for guiding a web successively around the said cylinders, substantially as described.

2. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of two oppositely-inclined typebeds, two traveling impression-cylinders cooperating therewith, the operating means to which each cylinder is connected and by which each cylinder is positively reciprocated in opposite directions, and means for guiding a web successively around the said cylinders, substantially as described.

3. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of the type-bedsinclined slightly from the perpendicular and facing outwardly, the independently-constructed carriages reciprocating thereon in opposite directions, the

impression-cylinders mounted therein, and the guide-rolls carrying the web up one of the type-beds where it passes through one of the carriages and around the impression-cylinder mounted in the said carriage where it is printed on one side, then carrying the web through the machine and looping it on the opposite side with the inner portion of the loop parallel with the other type-bed where it passes through the other carriage and around the impression-cylinder mounted in the said second carriage and is perfected, substantially as described.

4. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of the relatively-inclined typebeds, the independently constructed carriages reciprocating thereon in opposite directions, the impression-cylinders mounted in the said carriages, and the guide-rolls supporting the web over one of the-type-beds where it passes through one of the carriages and around the impression-cylinder mounted in the said carriage and is printed on one side, then carrying it through the machine and looping it with the inner portion of the loop parallel with the other type-bed where it passes through the other carriage and around the impression-cylinder mounted in the said second carriage and is perfected, substantially as described.

5. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of the relatively-inclined typebeds, the carriages mounted thereon, the impression-cylinders carried by the said carriages, the working beam connected with the said carriages to reciprocate the same, and the guide-rolls supporting the web over one of the type-beds where it passes through one of the carriages and around the impressioncylinder mounted in the said carriage and is printed on one side, then carrying it through the machine and looping it with the inner portion of the loop parallel with the other typebed where it passes through the other carriage and around the impression cylinder mounted in the said second carriage and is perfected, substantially as described.

6. In a printing-press, the combination of the type-beds, the carriages mounted thereon the impression-cylinders supported by the said carriages, and the mechanism reciprocating the said carriages in opposite directions consisting of the working beams connected at their ends with the said carriages, and the fly-wheels keyed on a common shaft and connected with the said working beams, substantially as described.

'7. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of two oppositely-inclined typebeds, two traveling impression-cylinders 00- operating therewith, the operating means to which each cylinder is connected and by which each cylinder is positively reciprocated in opposite directions, means for guiding a web successively around the said cylinders, and a feed mechanism for intermittently feeding the web through the press between the strokes of the cylinders, substantially as described.

8. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of two oppositely-inclined typebeds, two traveling impression-cylinders cooperating therewith, the operating means to which each cylinder is connected and by which each cylinder is positively reciprocated in opposite directions, means for guiding a web successively around the said cylinders, a

feed mechanism for intermittently feeding the web through the press between the strokes of the cylinders, and the registering device interposed between the impression mechanisms and in the path of the web, substantially as described.

9. In a web-perfecting printing-press, the combination of two oppositely-inclined typebeds, two traveling impression-cylinders cooperating therewith, the working beam to which each cylinder is connected and by which each cylinder is positively reciprocated in opposite directions, and means for guiding a web successively around the said cylinders, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID I. EOKERSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES FREDENBURY, P. G. WILTING. 

